Die set assembly and magnet means for releasably attaching dies therein

ABSTRACT

A die set assembly is disclosed with magnets provided for releasable attaching the dies in the assembly. A punch holder or shoe is provided with a die shoe spaced therefrom in aligned, confronting relationship. Magnets having opposite ends releasable attach at one end thereof to a punch means of the die set and releasable attach at the other end thereof to the punch holder. Other such magnets releasable attach one end thereof to a die means of the die set and releasably attach the other end thereof to the die shoe. A template arrangement is provided for aligning the die set.

United States Patent [191 Whistler, Jr. et al.

DlE SET ASSEMBLY AND MAGNET MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ATTACHING DIES THERElN Inventors: Lawrence V. Whistler, Jr., 251

Doncaster Rd.; Lawrence V. Whistler, III, 368 Argonne Dr., both of Kenmore, NY. 14217 Filed: June 9, 1972 Appl. No.: 261,402

US. Cl 72/462, 72/446, 72/470, 83/619, 83/698 Int. Cl B21j 13/02 Field of Search 72/462, 470, 474, 72/475, 446, 447, 448, 324; 83/619, 698, 699

[ 1 Jan. 1, 1974 3,125,917 3/1964 Smeets 83/698 3,137,193 6/1964 Whistler 3,563,124 2/1971 Gargrave 83/698 Primary ExaminerChar1es W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Gene P. Crosby Attorney-Luke A. Mattare et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A die set assembly is disclosed with magnets provided for releasable attaching the dies in the assembly. A punch holder or shoe is provided with a die shoe spaced therefrom in aligned, confronting relationship. Magnets having opposite ends releasable attach at one end thereof to a punch means of the die set and releasable attach at the other end thereof to the punch holder. Other such magnets releasable attach one end thereof to a die means of the die set and releasably attach the other end thereof to the die shoe. A template arrangement is provided for aligning the die set.

12 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures 1 DIE SET ASSEMBLY AND MAGNET MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ATTACIIING DIES THEREIN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dies and more particularly to an unique and novel means for attaching dies to a die set.

Dies are used in the prior art to cut, shape, form, draw and notch metal or other suitable materials and these prior art dies are generally affixed to a die set which is a two-piece device that is in turn attached to a press.

The purpose of a die set is to contain and properly support tooling and to assure alignment of the tooling at the area of work. The die set typically consists of a steel top plate and a steel bottom plate aligned with one another by means of guide pins and bushings permitting vertical movement of the top plate relative to the bottom plate but preventing relative lateral movement .therebetween. The die set includes a lower die half fastened to the top side of a die shoe, and a top die half fastened to the bottom side of a punch holder or shoe. The punch holder or shoe is affixed to a press ram and the die shoe is affixed to a press bolster for movement of the punch toward the die to thus perform work on a workpiece placed therebetween.

In the prior art, dies are usually screwed, bolted, or clamped to the die set in order to secure them in position. This manner of affixing the dies to the die set in the prior art is both costly and time consuming and because of the time and expense required to build and set up dies utilizing screws, bolts, or other similar fastening methods, the dies are expensive to purchase and are not readily reusable. Moreover, the die plate in conventional die assemblies must be made thick in order to elevate the workpiece to a desired elevation for performing work on a workpiece; and accordingly, the cost of material and of the die is substantially increased.

According to the present invention, a unique and novel means is provided for attaching the dies to the die set. In the present invention, a unique double ended magnet, having different magnetic strengths at the opposite ends thereof, is attached between the dies and die set to secure the dies to the die set. The end of the magnet having the greater magnetic strength is attached to the die, and the end of the magnet having the lesser magnetic strength is attached to the die set so that the dies may be easily positioned and secured relative to the die set and removed therefrom simply by exerting force thereon. Since the end of the magnets having the lesser magnetic power is attached to the die set, the magnets are normally carried by the dies and are attached and removed from the die set along with the dies.

Further, the magnets on the bottom half of the die serve as spacers to elevate the die and workpiece to a desired elevated position for performing work thereon and accordingly the die plate can be made relatively thin and less expensively than prior art dies plates. Additionally, a plurality of magnets are provided on each of the die halves positioned at points to provide support for the tooling of the dies.

The magnetic attaching means of the present invention also renders the dies readily reusable and thus significantly lowers the cost of the dies, and significantly lowers the time and cost required to build and set up die assembly for performing work on a workpiece.

In order to properly and accurately align the dies in the die halves, templates are provided, having interengaging means thereon for aligning the templates relative to the punch holder and die shoe, respectively, and for aligning the dies relative to the templates. Accordingly, quick and easy alignment of the die halves is accomplished.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a die set assembly having means for quickly and easily releasably attaching dies to a die set.

Another object of this invention is to provide a die set assembly wherein magnets are releasably attached to each of the upper and lower die halves and to the punch holder and die shoe, respectively, for magnetically attaching the dies to the die set so that the dies can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the die set.

An even further object of this invention is to provide a unique and novel double ended magnet for attaching dies to a die set wherein the magnet has a greater magnetic strength at one end than at the other end thereof so that the magnet is normally carried by the dies and attached to the die set and removed from the die set along with the dies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a press device showing a die set in accordance with the invention positioned therein.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the bottom half of the die showing the manner in which the magnet means is attachedzthereto.

FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of the template and die showing the manner in which the template and die are positioned relative to one another.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective exploded view of the press bolster, die shoe and die, showing the manner in which the template and die are positioned on the die shoe with locating posts on the die shoe cooperating with holes in the template to properly locate the template and die.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the manget means used in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in section taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the magnet of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view with portions thereof broken away showing a modified magnet means having a locating pin therein for accurately locating the magnet means relative to the die means.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a die set in accordance with the present invention, showing the top and bottom halves of the die set in exploded relationship and with the top half of the die set turned upwardly to expose the punch means to view.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the top half of the die showing the punch plate, punch pad and punch steel.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the bottom half of the die showing the die plate and die steel.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of the die set in accordance with the present invention shown in operative position performing work on a workpiece therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a press is indicated generally at P in FIG. 1 and comprises a press ram R and press bolster B held in vertically spaced aligned relationship. A die set indicated generally at S is secured to the press ram R and press bolster B and comprises an upper die half U and a lower die half L.

The upper die half U includes a large substantially flat and rectangularly shaped punch shoe 10, a punch plate 11, punch pad 12 and punch steel 13. The punch plate, punch pad, and punch steel are attached to the punch shoe by means of a plurality of magnets 14, and the punch plate, punch pad and punch steel are held in proper aligned position by means of a template l5 and a plurality of locater posts 16 secured to the punch shoe and positioned around the template 15 adjacent the corners thereof and received in holes therein. A plurality of hollow, vertically downwardly extending guide bushings 17 are secured to the punch shoe adjacent each of the corners thereof spaced outwardly from the template 15.

The lower half L of the die set S includes a die shoe 18 attached to the press bolster B, a die plate 19 and die steel 20. The die plate and die steel are attached to the die shoe 18 by means of a plurality of magnets 14 identical to the magnets used to attach the punch plate to the punch shoe, and the die plate and die steel are held in aligned relationship relative to the punch plate by means of a large flat rectangular template 15' which is aligned to the die shoe 18 by means of a plurality of locater posts 16 adjacent the corners thereof.

A plurality of vertically upwardly extending guide posts 21 are secured to the die shoe 18 through holes 21' bored therethrough in vertical alignment with the guide bushings 17 to assure proper vertical alignment of the upper and lower die halves.

In FIG. 1, the upper and lower die halves are shown in separated relationships and a workpiece W is shown removed from the work area between the upper and lower die halves.

The manner in which the die plate, template and die shoe are assembled together is depicted in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. First, the magnets 14 are applied to the underside of the die plate 19 with the larger and magnetically stronger ends of the magnets attached to the die plate. Then, the template 15' is assembled to the die plate 19 and is accurately aligned therewith by means of a plurality of pins or posts 22 at the corners of the die plate received through a plurality of aligned openings 23 spaece outwardly from the corners of a large rectangular or other shaped opening 0 in the center of the template. The size of the opening 0 is substantially the same as the size of the die steel so that when the template and die plate are assembled together, the die steel extends through the opening 0. The assembled template and die plate are then attached to the die shoe 18 as seen in FIG. 4. The template 15' is accurately aligned relative to the die shoe 18 by means of the locating pins or posts 16 on the die shoe received through aligned openings 24 adjacent the corners of the template. The magnets 14 attached to the underside of the die plate are attached to the die shoe and thus securely hold the die plate to the die shoe. The smaller and magnetically weaker end of the magnets 14 is attached to the die shoe 18 so that when the die plate and template are removed from the die shoe, the magnets remain attached to the die plate.

The punch plate 11, template 15, magnets 14 and punch holder or shoe 10 are assembled in a similar manner to locator posts 16. The template 15 has a central opening 0 therein as in the template 15 of the lower half of the die set, with the punch steel 13 extended therethrough, and the ends of the magnets having to the lesser strength are attached to the punch holder or punch shoe 10 so that the magnets are normally carried by the punch plate.

The construction of the magnets 14 is seen best in FIGS. 5 through 8. Each magnet 14 preferably has a one-piece metal core 25 of cylindrical configuration and with approximately one-half 25a of the length of the magnet reduced in diameter relative to the other half 25b. If desired, however, the metal core could be made in two separate pieces separated by a nonmagnetic insulator I indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 6. Radially outwardly extending flanges 26 and 27 are formed on the adjacent ends of core halves 25a and 25b, respectively, and a suitable magnet 28 of Alnico, ceramic, or the like is secured in surrounding relationship to core half 25b in abutting relationship with flange 27. An insulator 29 of non-magnetic material is interposed between the magnet 28 and core half 25b and a non-magnetic shield 30 is secured in surrounding relationship to the magnet 28 and flange 27. An annular steel ring base 31 is secured in surrounding relationship to the end of core half 25b opposite flange 27 and against the end of magnet 28. The steel ring base 31 is also sandwiched between insulator 29 and shield 30.

As seen in FIG. 6, the steel ring base 31 has an annular notch 32 formed in the inner marginal edge thereof and the insulator 29 has an outwardly turned flange 33 received in the notch 32. A suitable filler material 34 is placed in the notch over the flange 33 to prevent chips, dirt and the like from collecting on the end of the magnet 14.

The reduced diameter end 25a of the magnet 14 is constructed substantially identical to the large end 2512, and the same reference numerals primed are applied to like parts.

A central, longitudinally extending opening 35 extends through the center of the core 25 and serves to slightly reduce the power of the magnet. Opening 35 may be eliminated if desired, however.

A slightly modified magnet 14' is illustrated in FIG. 8 and is substantially identical to the magnet 14, except that a small pin 36 is secured fitted within the opening 35 of the magnet 14 and a plurality of shallow holes or recesses 37 are formed in the rear surfaces of the punch plate and die plate for receiving the projection portion of the pin 36 on the magnets so that the magnets 14' are accurately positioned and located on the die halves at the point where they supply the most effective support to the die halves during operation.

Without the pins 36 recesses 37, the magnets 14 could be improperly positioned on the respective die halves and thus improper support would be provided for the die halves during the performance of work therewith. The pins and recesses insure against this.

A complete die set S is indicated in FIG. 9, with the punch plate 11 and template 15 assembled to the punch holder or shoe 10 and the die steel 20 and template 15 assembled to the die shoe 18. As illustrated,

the upper half U of the die set comprises the male half, and the lower half L of the die set comprises the female half.

FIG. is a plan view of the punch plate 11, punch pad 12 and punch steel 13 and showing the location of the punch steel on the punch pad and the positioning of the magnets 14 on the back side of the punch plate. As seen in this figure, the punch plate 11 has a pin 22 or post in each of the corners thereof substantially identical to the pins or posts 22 on the die plate 19 and for substantially the same purpose.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the die plate 19 and die steel and showing the arrangement of the magnets 14 on the back side thereof. FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the invention shown in operative position performing work on a workpiece W placed therebetween. As seen in this figure, elastomer or spring strippers 38 are provided on the punch pad 12 adjacent the punch steel 13 for stripping the work material W from the punch steel when the press is separated. Further, elastomer or spring ejectors 39 are provided on the die plate 19 adjacent the die steel 20 for ejecting the work material after the operation is performed thereon in the press. Slugs may also drop through the die onto the surface of the die shoe. A gage pin 40 is provided on the lower half L of the die set for locating the workpiece to assure relative position of punched holes to the periphery of the workpiece. The gages may or may not be used.

In the present invention, the use of double ended magnets 14 and templates l5 and 15 enables a die set to be built and installed in a press much more economically and much more quickly than with the prior art devices, and the die halves are readily reusable due to their being easily attached and removed from the punch holder or shoe and die shoe, respectively.

Further, the magnets 14 attached between the die shoe l8 and die plate 19 serve to space the die plate upwardly to a desired elevated position and accordingly, the amount of steel which is required in the die plate is substantially less than in conventional, prior art devices, wherein the die plate itself must be made thicker in order to properly space the die plate and die steel from the die shoe.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A die set assembly, comprising a punch holder, a die shoe spaced from the punch holder in aligned confronting relationship therewith, a punch means, magnet means having opposite ends and releasably attached at one end thereof to said punch means and releasably attached at the other end thereof to said punch holder to releasably attach the punch means to the punch holder,

a die means, and magnet means having opposite ends and releasably attached at one end thereof to the die means and releasably attached at the other end thereof to the die shoe to releasably attach the die means to the die shoe.

2. A die set assembly as in claim 1, wherein each of said magnet means has different magnetic strengths at the opposite ends thereof, the ends of greater magnetic strength attached to the punch means and the die means, respectively, and the ends of lesser magnetic strength attached to the punch holder and die shoe, respectively.

3. A die set assembly as in claim 2, wherein interengaging aligning means are on said punch means and said punch holder, and on said die means and said die shoe to align said punch means and die means relative I to one another.

4. A die set assembly as in claim 3, wherein said interengaging aligning means comprises a template, and position locating means on each of said punch means, said die means, said punch holder, said die shoe, and as associated template to accurately position and align said punch means and die means.

5. A die set assembly as in claim 4, wherein said punch means comprises a punch plate having an upper face and lower face, a punch pad on the lower face of the punch plate, and punch steel on a lower face of the punch pad, said punch steel configured to produce a desired pattern in a workpiece, and said magnet means attached to the upper face of the punch plate.

6. A die assembly as in claim 5, wherein said template is substantially flat and planar and has a largeopening therethrough, said punch plate being slightly larger than the size of the opening and positioned in overlying centered relationship relative to said opening by means of interengaging pin and guide bore means in said template and punch plate, said magnet means extending through said opening and into engagement with said punch holder, and said template secured in predetermined desired position on said punch holder by means of interengaging pin or post and guide bore means on said punch holder and said template.

7. A die set assembly as in claim 6, wherein said die means comprises a die plate having an upper face and a lower face, die steel on the upper face of the die plate configured complementary to said punch steel to produce a desired pattern in a workpiece, and said magnet means attached to the lower face of the die plate.

8. A die set assembly in claim 7, wherein said die plate is slightly larger than the size of the opening in said template and is secured behind said template in centered relationship to said opening by means of interengaging pin or post and guide bore means on said template and said die plate, said magnet means attached to the lower face of said die plate and to said die shoe, said die steel extending upwardly through said opening in said template, and said template secured in desired position on said die shoe by means of interengaging pin or post and guide bore means on said die shoe and said template.

9. A die set assembly as in claim 8, wherein a plurality of megnets are positioned at predetermined points on said punch holder and said die shoe, respectively, to provide necessary support for said punch means and die means during the performance of work on a workpiece.

10. A die set assembly as in claim 9, wherein each of said magnet means comprises a permanent magnet, and said one end has a larger cross-sectional area than the other end to thus produce the greater magnetic strength at said one end.

wardly beyond the end of the magnet, and said punch plate and die plate each have a plurality of shallow recesses or bores therein at predetermined locations thereon, said pin in said magnet received in said shallow recesses to accurately locate the magnets relative to the punch plate and die plate, respectively. 

1. A die set assembly, comprising a punch holder, a die shoe spaced from the punch holder in aligned confronting relationship therewith, a punch means, magnet means having opposite ends and releasably attached at one end thereof to said punch means and releasably attached at the other end thereof to said punch holder to releasably attach the punch means to the punch holder, a die means, and magnet means having opposite ends and releasably attached at one end thereof to the die means and releasably attached at the other end thereof to the die shoe to releasably attach the die means to the die shoe.
 2. A die set assembly as in claim 1, wherein each of said magnet means has different magnetic strengths at the opposite ends thereof, the ends of greater magnetic strength attached to the punch means and the die means, respectively, and the ends of lesser magnetic strength attached to the punch holder and die shoe, respectively.
 3. A die set assembly as in claim 2, wherein interengaging aligning means are on said punch means and said punch holder, and on said die means and said die shoe to align said punch means and die means relative to one another.
 4. A die set assembly as in claim 3, wherein said interengaging aligning means comprises a template, and position locating means on each of said punch means, said die means, said punch holder, said die shoe, and as associated template to accurately position and align said punch means and die means.
 5. A die set assembly as in claim 4, wherein said punch means comprises a punch plate having an upper face and lower face, a punch pad on the lower face of the punch plate, and punch steel on a lower face of the punch pad, said punch steel configured to produce a desired pattern in a workpiece, and said magnet means attached to the upper face of the punch plate.
 6. A die assembly as in claim 5, wherein said template is substantially flat and planar and has a large opening therethrough, said punch plate being slightly larger than the size of the opening and positioned in overlying centered relationship relative to said opening by means of interengaging pin and guide bore means in said template and punch plate, said magnet means extending through said opening and into engagement with said punch holder, and said template secured in predetermined desired position on said punch holder by means of interengaging pin or post and guide bore means on said punch holder and said template.
 7. A die set assembly as in claim 6, wherein said die means comprises a diE plate having an upper face and a lower face, die steel on the upper face of the die plate configured complementary to said punch steel to produce a desired pattern in a workpiece, and said magnet means attached to the lower face of the die plate.
 8. A die set assembly in claim 7, wherein said die plate is slightly larger than the size of the opening in said template and is secured behind said template in centered relationship to said opening by means of interengaging pin or post and guide bore means on said template and said die plate, said magnet means attached to the lower face of said die plate and to said die shoe, said die steel extending upwardly through said opening in said template, and said template secured in desired position on said die shoe by means of interengaging pin or post and guide bore means on said die shoe and said template.
 9. A die set assembly as in claim 8, wherein a plurality of magnets are positioned at predetermined points on said punch holder and said die shoe, respectively, to provide necessary support for said punch means and die means during the performance of work on a workpiece.
 10. A die set assembly as in claim 9, wherein each of said magnet means comprises a permanent magnet, and said one end has a larger cross-sectional area than the other end to thus produce the greater magnetic strength at said one end.
 11. A die set assembly as in claim 10, wherein the magnets attached to the die plate comprise spacing means to space the die means upwardly from the die shoe to a desired predetermined work elevation.
 12. A die set assembly as in claim 11, wherein each of the magnet means has a longitudinal bore extending centrally therethrough, and a pin is securely fitted within said bore with one end of the pin projecting outwardly beyond the end of the magnet, and said punch plate and die plate each have a plurality of shallow recesses or bores therein at predetermined locations thereon, said pin in said magnet received in said shallow recesses to accurately locate the magnets relative to the punch plate and die plate, respectively. 